Are there any bad/unlistenable DT studio albums?

[avishwanath28]

The only thing I dislike about ANTR are the MP vocal parts. I don't know if you've ever listened to Dimmu Borgir, but the beginning of ANTR with the double bass and haunting keyboards are completely reminiscent of their music. It's one of DT's heaviest, and darkest, moments.

The weirdest part about those vocals is that the actual lyrics he is singing are not even close to matching his style - "by the grace of God above everyone survived"

[bosk1]

If you take that line out of context, I agree.  But in the context of the song and that whole lyrical passage, I think it is perfect.

[Prog Snob]

Yeah, same. I can't take that part seriously. I basically love everything that's before that part and everything that is after that part. Given that JLB didn't work out to that part either, I would've made a friggin' church choir sing something scary and epic or something. Not that 'Ima be a badass gang guy' approach.

I know the guitar/keys/guitar/keys trade-off is standard DT at its best, but I think that the way the solos are presented and how are played is totally badass. One of my favorite DT trade-offs.

I agree with both paragraphs. I've never been a fan of his vocals and live they usually sounded pretty bad.

[BlackInk]

If you take that line out of context, I agree.  But in the context of the song and that whole lyrical passage, I think it is perfect.

No context can make him sounding pissed about everyone surviving perfect.

[bosk1]

If you take that line out of context, I agree.  But in the context of the song and that whole lyrical passage, I think it is perfect.

No context can make him sounding pissed about everyone surviving perfect.

Well, good, because that isn't what's going on in that section.

[hefdaddy42]

That's what it sounds like.  Not sure how else you can paint it.

[CDrice]

That's what it sounds like.  Not sure how else you can paint it.

I interpret the section as an exposition of the mental trauma the character suffered in the accident and the aftermath. These two lines in particular makes me feel that way
''Like a recurring nightmare haunting my dreams''
''No son should ever have to see his father such a mess''

I think people just focus a bit too much on the ''Everyone survived! ROOOOAAARRR!'' part

[SchecterShredder]

DT has 3 albums that never see the light of day in my music collection: WDADU, Awake, and FII.

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

[jakepriest]

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

If you're a metalhead I don't get why you wouldn't like at least a few songs on Awake. The Mirror, Lie, Caught in A Web and Scarred are pretty heavy songs.

[hefdaddy42]

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

If you're a metalhead I don't get why you wouldn't like at least a few songs on Awake. The Mirror, Lie, Caught in A Web and Scarred are pretty heavy songs.

That's kind of what I was thinking.

[Prog Snob]

DT has 3 albums that never see the light of day in my music collection: WDADU, Awake, and FII.

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

I don't even see the point of that. It's part of their discography and dismissing it so much that you don't consider it part of their discography is a bit self-righteous.

Awake as a whole is one of their darker and somewhat heavier albums. Caught in a Web, The Mirror, and Lie are three extremely intense songs. Maybe they're just not your cup of tea.

[SchecterShredder]

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

If you're a metalhead I don't get why you wouldn't like at least a few songs on Awake. The Mirror, Lie, Caught in A Web and Scarred are pretty heavy songs.

DT has 3 albums that never see the light of day in my music collection: WDADU, Awake, and FII.

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

I don't even see the point of that. It's part of their discography and dismissing it so much that you don't consider it part of their discography is a bit self-righteous.

Awake as a whole is one of their darker and somewhat heavier albums. Caught in a Web, The Mirror, and Lie are three extremely intense songs. Maybe they're just not your cup of tea.

Well, as for the WDADU comment, it's partly because of the change in singer. Changing singers changes the entire sound of a band regardless of the instrumentation, and it was so early on that I don't count it. It has less to do with the quality of the music, as it does the quality of the singer.

As for Awake, I think it's the whole late 80s/early 90s feel to the album. I didn't really start listening to music until well into the 90s, so it's just not my style. I do like Erotomania, but it's a steep drop off after that for me. I just reviewed my most recent DT song and album rankings, and I actually have Caught in a Web and The Mirror near the very bottom of my rankings. Like 2/10 bad lol. Like they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure!".

[SchecterShredder]

DT has 3 albums that never see the light of day in my music collection: WDADU, Awake, and FII.

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

I don't even see the point of that. It's part of their discography and dismissing it so much that you don't consider it part of their discography is a bit self-righteous.

Awake as a whole is one of their darker and somewhat heavier albums. Caught in a Web, The Mirror, and Lie are three extremely intense songs. Maybe they're just not your cup of tea.

And in my defense, I have the studio albums box set, and they don't include WDADU either 

[bosk1]

DT has 3 albums that never see the light of day in my music collection: WDADU, Awake, and FII.

I really tried to listen to these albums with an open mind, but they're just awful in my opinion. Maybe it's because I'm more of a metal head than anything else, but there's barely so much as a single song I enjoy on any of those 3. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

I don't even see the point of that. It's part of their discography and dismissing it so much that you don't consider it part of their discography is a bit self-righteous.

Awake as a whole is one of their darker and somewhat heavier albums. Caught in a Web, The Mirror, and Lie are three extremely intense songs. Maybe they're just not your cup of tea.

And in my defense, I have the studio albums box set, and they don't include WDADU either 

I get where you are coming from.  But as to that last point, their decision is not for the same reasons as yours.  They simply do not have the rights to that album, so they CAN'T include it or any of its songs in any compilation.  As their live shows through the years support, the band clearly doesn't ignore the album.

[Darkstarshades]

Funny thing is they don't have the rights to sell the album, but nobody is even remotely interested in suing DT for recording themselves playing songs from it AND selling those recordings so that's kind of funny.

[bosk1]

Funny thing is they don't have the rights to sell the album, but nobody is even remotely interested in suing DT for recording themselves playing songs from it AND selling those recordings so that's kind of funny.

They can't sue the band.  They have no rights over any subsequent live performances--only the studio recordings.

[mikeyd23]

I get where you are coming from.  But as to that last point, their decision is not for the same reasons as yours.  They simply do not have the rights to that album, so they CAN'T include it or any of its songs in any compilation.  As their live shows through the years support, the band clearly doesn't ignore the album.

I'm assuming that's why WDADU isn't on Spotify either even though the rest of their albums are.

[Prog Snob]

I get where you are coming from.  But as to that last point, their decision is not for the same reasons as yours.  They simply do not have the rights to that album, so they CAN'T include it or any of its songs in any compilation.  As their live shows through the years support, the band clearly doesn't ignore the album.

I'm assuming that's why WDADU isn't on Spotify either even though the rest of their albums are.

That would be a good assumption.

[Darkstarshades]

Funny thing is they don't have the rights to sell the album, but nobody is even remotely interested in suing DT for recording themselves playing songs from it AND selling those recordings so that's kind of funny.

They can't sue the band.  They have no rights over any subsequent live performances--only the studio recordings.

Yes I know.
The funny thing is the rights could be DT's again and ir wouldn't make any difference for anyone.

[SchecterShredder]

Why on Earth don't they have the rights to that album?

[mikeyd23]

I get where you are coming from.  But as to that last point, their decision is not for the same reasons as yours.  They simply do not have the rights to that album, so they CAN'T include it or any of its songs in any compilation.  As their live shows through the years support, the band clearly doesn't ignore the album.

I'm assuming that's why WDADU isn't on Spotify either even though the rest of their albums are.

That would be a good assumption.

Haha, I know it was kind of an obvious statement, but I honestly didn't know DT didn't have rights to it until Bosk just said that, so I was just thinking out loud...

[hefdaddy42]

As for Awake, I think it's the whole late 80s/early 90s feel to the album.

Good songwriting, good lyrics, and good production?  I get it.

j/k pal

[Train of Naught]

I get where you are coming from.  But as to that last point, their decision is not for the same reasons as yours.  They simply do not have the rights to that album, so they CAN'T include it or any of its songs in any compilation.  As their live shows through the years support, the band clearly doesn't ignore the album.

I'm assuming that's why WDADU isn't on Spotify either even though the rest of their albums are.

It is and has always been on Spotify in my country. Not that it matters because I never listen to it

[bosk1]

Why on Earth don't they have the rights to that album?

The short version is:  Because they were a young, fledgling band that played an obscure kind of music, and it was the '80s.  An small, obscure label signed them to a bad contract that gave that label complete, ironclad rights to the band's material.  When they eventually went to a bigger label years later to record Images & Words, that smaller label refused to sell the rights to WDADU to the new label or the band, so that is where it sits.  This sort of thing really isn't all that uncommon, especially back during that timeframe. 

[King Postwhore]

And for young bands desperate to get an album out.

[BlackInk]

I get where you are coming from.  But as to that last point, their decision is not for the same reasons as yours.  They simply do not have the rights to that album, so they CAN'T include it or any of its songs in any compilation.  As their live shows through the years support, the band clearly doesn't ignore the album.

I'm assuming that's why WDADU isn't on Spotify either even though the rest of their albums are.

It is and has always been on Spotify in my country. Not that it matters because I never listen to it

Yeah it's on Spotify for me too.

[pdurbin22]

I voted no. WDADU is by far my least favorite album; at least in studio form I only really enjoy "A Fortune In Lies", "Ytse Jam" and "Afterlife" in their entirety, and then portions of other songs. But I wouldn't quite call it unlistenable.

SC is my next least-favorite, but sonically it's pretty solid so again, not "unlistenable" - just not the best songs.

[Mosh]

Why didn't they just give When Dream and Day Reunite a wide release and let that be the definitive version of the album? It was a pretty high quality release and performance, but doomed to obscurity for being a Ytsejam release.

[Darkstarshades]

Why didn't they just give When Dream and Day Reunite a wide release and let that be the definitive version of the album? It was a pretty high quality release and performance, but doomed to obscurity for being a Ytsejam release.

Ask Michael for that.

[KevShmev]

. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

That's like saying, "Grass isn't green."

I'm not sure I see the point in objecting to stone cold facts. 

[bosk1]

. In fact, I don't even consider WDADU part of their discography.

That's like saying, "Grass isn't green."

I'm not sure I see the point in objecting to stone cold facts. 

Really?  But you do that all the time in the sports-related threads. 

[BlackInk]

I understand that thinking. While I know WD&DU is their first album, I've always seen I&W as their first proper album. WD&DU rarely gets a mention in DT related discussions I have in real life. I wouldn't say that it isn't part of the discography, but that is often how I treat it naturally.

[Mosh]

Yea I get where he's coming from. WDADU is obviously part of the DT discography, but it's so far removed from everything after that it's easy to forget. DT as we know it was really born on I&W.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

WDADU is a little tough for me to digest because of the production, but I think there's a lot of good there and would love for the band to re-record a few songs.

[don_waka]

Yes.

Systematic Chaos